Material handling apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl'ed May 24, 1928 m Ww, 5. m W n n Nov. 17, 1931. J. E. BoYNToN MATERIAL HANDLING rAPPRATUS Filed May 24. i928 /n Venr Y Jah/7 Edson 50)//720/1 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITEDv STATES PATENT oar-'ICE JOHN EDSON BOUTON, kOF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK MATERIAL HANDLING rirluuaa'rms;

Original application illed June 13, 1924,.8eria1 No. 719,817, now patent No. 1,741,812 dated December 31, 1929. IDlvlded and this application filed lay 24, 1928. Serial No. 280,328.

This invention relates to material handling apparatus, particularly apparatus for handling cables during the process of their manufacture, and is a division of my co-pending application, which has matured into Patent No. 1,741,812, issued Dec. 31, 1929.

l press is set in operatiom After the metal has been extruded the ram of the press must be backed out of the cylinder so that the cylinder may be refilled. The period of activity of the press is invariably less than the period of preparation therefor. The general elficiency of apparatus of this type is less than of that -of an apparatus whose action is substantially continuous in its nature and not limited to the capacity of a hydraulic cylinder or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus whereby tubing can be manufactured at a comparativelylow cost.

Another object of theinvention is-to provide an apparatus which will sheath the core continuously.

Another object of the invention is to provide reeling apparatus having automatic means for compensating for Weight added to or taken from reels forming a part of th apparatus.

One embodiment of the invention is adapted to sheath cable core and comprises means for carrying a supply reel and a takeup reel bodily around an axis of rotation so that the cable core which is being Withdrawn from the supply reel by the take-up reel may Wrap a metallic ribbon around itself as it passes to the take-up reel, the metallic ribbon being molded contemporaneously and beingA rotatably'mounted in one of a pair of ringshaped members which are co-aXially disposed in spaced relation and so supported upon a plurality of rollers that they may be rotated in unison to carry the reels around smoothly and evenly in a metallic sheath' which is applied in ribbon form to the core. The metallic ribbon is Wound in helices around the core, the angle at which the ribbon is applied to the core being controlled by centrifugally4 operated mechanism responsive to the speed at which the core is advanced to the take-up reel. A heating unit is employed to fuse the helices to each other as the sheathed core passes to the take-up reel. Cooling means is disposed in close proximity to the heating unit and is adapted to solidify the fused portions of the sheath after they leave the heating unit. During the operation of the apparatus the sheathed core which is being Wound around the take-up reel is balanced by a counterweight which is adjust ably mounted with respect to the take-up reel and is brought into a plurality of adjusted positions With respect thereto by means ,actuated by the means for driving the take-up reel. Similar means is provided for balancing the cable core on the supply reel.

The metallic ribbon is molded by apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted to hold a supply of fused metal. The receptacle is provided With a spout through which the fused metal may grav-itate and ow out upon a pivotally mounted guide or table, the fused metal in the receptacle and spout being held at a temperature which permits the metal to solidify as it passes from the discharge oriiice of the spout. The metal solidiiies into shape of the orice. Therefore, it may be said the ribbon is molded by flowing the fused metal through an orific having the shape and dimensions it is desired to impart to the ribbon. The solidifying ribbon of metal passes between a pair of rollers adapted to roll or to gauge the metal to a uniform thickness. They function in this manner when themetal tends to pile up as it leaves the discharge orifice of the spout. The rollers also4 tend to aid in the molding operation as they will draw the ribbon from the spout when solidilication occurs just before the metal passes therefrom.

A plurality of rotary cutters or knives are provided for trimming the edges of the ribbon so that when the ribbon is wrapped in helices around the cable core, the opposing contiguous surfaces of adjacent helices will be substantially free from oxide and will be in a condition which facilitates the operation of fusing the helices to each other. The rotary cuttersor knives are mounted on the pivotally mounted guide or table, the guide or table being operatively connected to the aforementioned centrifugally operated mechanism which swings the guide or table into positions wherein it feeds the metallic ribbon to the cable core at an angle corresponding to the speed at which the core is advanced to the take-up reel.

The objects of the invention are more clearly set forth in the following detailed description reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View thereof taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking f in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof take'n on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View ofthe holding apparatus taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated .by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and,

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. l looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters designate like parts throughout the several views, the reference character 10 designates a. receptacle for holding a supply of metal in a fused state from which a metallic element in ribbon form as indicated at 11 is molded. The receptacle 10 may be heated by any suitable means not shown). The metallic ribbon 11 is supplied to a cable core 12 which is drawn from a supply. reel 13 b v a take-up reel 14, means being interposed between the reels for forming the metallic ribbon intoan imperforate sheath for the core. The supply reel 13 and the take-up reel 14 are carried by annular members 17 and 18, respectively. The annular members 17 and 18 are coaxially arranged in spaced relation and are supported upon a plurality of rollers 19 which permit the annular members to be rotated about a common axis. The rollers 19 are rotatably journaled in a bed or floor 22 upon which the apparatus rests, A plurality of pinions 24 rigidly secured upon the shaft mesh with gears 25 `and 26 formed integrally with the annular members 17 and 18.l respectively. The shaft 20 may be rotated by any 'suitable means (not shown) and will in turn rotate the annular members 17 and 18 in unison through the medium of the pinions 24 and the gears 25 and 26.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the take-up reel i 14 is mounted upon a shaft 28 and is constrained to rotate therewith. The shaft 28 is `rotatably journaled in a plurality of tubular brackets 29 secured to the annular member 18, the annular member 18 being provided with apertures 30 which permit the shaft to be withdrawn from the annular member when the reel 14 is to be replaced. A sleeve 31 splined upon the shaft 28 by means of a feathered key 32 has an integral worm gear 33 meshing with a worm 34 rigidly secured to a shaft 35 which is rotatably j ournaled in a bearing bracket 36 ri 'dly secured to the annular member 18. il pinion 40 keyed to the shaft 35 meshes with a stationary internal gear 41 which is carried by a plurality of uprights 42. It is obvious that rotation of the annular member 18 is accompanied by rotation of the shaft 28 through the medium of the worm gear 33, the worm 34, the pinion 40 and the gear 41. The arrangement is such that the take-up reel 14 will draw the cable core 12 from the supply reel 13 and wind the cable core around itself.

The take-up reel 14 is counter-balanced by a weight 43 threaded upon a rod 44 which is rotatably journaled in a bearing 45 rigidly secured to the inner surface of the annular member 18. A worm gear 46 fastened to the rod 44 meshes with a worm 47 secured to a shaft 48, the shaft 48 being journaled in a plurality of bearings 49 secured to the annular member 18. A drum 50 secured to the shaft 48 has one end of a cord 51 secured thereto, the other end of the cord 51 being provided with an eye 52 adapted to be positioned upon a pin 53 projecting from the sleeve 31. During rotation of the annular member 18 the sleeve 31 will, of course, withdraw the cord 51 from the drum and thus rotate the drum together with a shaft 48 and the worm 47. The motion of the worm 48 is imparted to the worm gear 46 which causes the rod 44 to displace the weight 43 along the rod in a direction away from the axis of rotation from the annular members 17 and 18, the weight 43 being held against rotation around the axis of the rod 44 by a bracket 55 which engages a lug 56 rojecting from the weight. The purpose of3 this construction is to compensate for the wei ht added to the take-up reel 14 when the ca le core is drawn from the supply reel 13 and wound upon the take-up reel 14. During this operation, the weight 43 will draw away from the axis of rotation of the annular members 17 and 18 at a rate of speed which isA proportional to the rate of speed with which the cable core is wound upon the take-up reel. To restore the weight 43 to its initial position and at the same time to rewind the cord 51 upon the drum 50, the operator need only remove the eye 52 from the pin 53 and then rotate the drum' 50 in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 2).

The supply reel 13 is mounted upon a shaft 60 rotatably journaled in tubular bearings 61 l secured upon the inner' surface of the annular member 17, the annular member 17 being provided with apertures 62 which permit the shaft to be removed from the annular member whenv the supply reel 13 is to be replaced. A weight 63, substantially identical to the aforementioned weight 43, is adapted to be displaced with respect to the common axis of the annular members 17 and 18 by means of mechanism which is substantially identical with the mechanism for displacing the weight .43. However, in this insta-nce the arrangement is such that the weight 63 approaches the axis of rotation as the cable core 12 is withdrawn from the supply reel 13.

It is readily understood thatJ if asupply reel 13 and a take-up reel 14 are mounted in the annular members 17 and 18, respectively, the apparatus may be operated to have the take-up reel 14 withdraw the cable core 12 from the supply reel and the cable core will be rotated around a common axis of the annular members. This enables the. cable core to wrap around itself material which is supplied to it. invention the cable core 12 will wrap the metallic ribbon 11 around itself, the arrangement of the apparatus being such that the metallic ribbon'll is applied in a plurality of helices around the core.

As shown in'Fig. 1 the cable core 12 is referably led through a guide 65 when it eaves the supply reel 13, the guide being adapted to bring a section of the cable core into a position wherein its longitudinal axis coincides with the axis of rotation of the annular members 17 and 18. The metallic 'ribbon 11 is supplied to the core directly after ble core. The heating unit 66 is provided In this embodiment of they with an annular passage 67 `through which lthe core and its covering of metallic ribbon are advanced on their way to the take-up reel. The heating unit 66 comprises a block 68 mounted upon a frame 69. A tubular resistor 70 in helical form is disposed in the block 68 and forms a portion of the wall of the passage 67. The resistor 70 is insulatedfrom the block 68 and has its ends connected to a pair of binding posts 71 projecting from the upper surface of the block 68. The binding posts 71 provide means whereby the resistor 70 ma be connected to any suitable source of electrical energy and heated to a temperature which will be suiiicient to fuse the metallic ribbon 11 when it comes in close proximity to the resistor. The lead of the helical resistor 70 is substantially equal to the lead of the helices of metallic ribbon 11 applied to the cable core. The apparatus is so arranged that the vcontiguous edges of each- Aany suitable source (not shown) of cooling fluid so that a cooling fluid may be passed -through the resistor to lower its temperature quickly if the operator so desires. The left hand end (Fig. 1) of the'block 68 is provided with an annular chamber 73 which is connected by means of a plurality of pipes 74 to a suitable supply (not shown) of cooling fluid. 'It is apparent that the portions of the metallic ribbon 11 which are fused as the ribbon is drawn past the resistor 70 will be solidified by the cooling fluid in `the annular chamber 73 and the metallic ribbon will become an imperforate sheath for the core.

The means for forming the metallic ribbon 11 from Ithe fused metal in the receptacle 10 comprises 'a spout 7 5through which the fused metal may gravitate to the discharge orifice 76 of the spout 75 (Fig. 4). The discharge orifice 76 is of ashape substantially conforming to the shape it is desired to impart to the metallic ribbon 11. The fused metal is held at a temperature which permits it to solidify as it Hows from the orifice 76, and in the preferred embodiment of' the invention is received between a plurality of rolls 77 and 78 when it leaves the orifice. The roll 78 is provided with kend flanges 79 which fit snugly against kthe end surfaces of the roll 77.

As shown in Fig. 5 the rolls 77 and 78 are mounted upon a plurality of shafts 8O and 81, respectively, the shafts 80 and 81 being rotatably journal'ed upon a guide or table 82 `-which has one of its ends rigidly secured to a vertically disposed shaft 83 rotatably journaled in the upper end of a bearing member 84. The shaft 8O is driven by any suitable means (not shown) and is provided with a gear 85 meshing with a gear 86 rigidly secured to a shaft 81. The rolls 77 and 78 are spaced apart a distance which is substantially equal to the thickness of the metallic ribbon 11 andthe length of the roll 77 is substantially equal to the width of the metallic ribbon. Therefore, the rolls 77 and 78 tend to gauge the thickness and width of the rib bon, particularly so when the fused matter tends to pile up as it leaves the spout 75. It is obvious that the rolls would withdraw the metallic ribbon from the spout 75 should the fused metal in the spout solidify just before it reaches the orifice 76. A plurality of heating units 87 disposed around the spout 75 provide means for keeping the metal in a fused state as it passes through the spout, the flow of fused metal through the spout being controlled by a valve 8 1 A pair of rotary blades or knives 90 are provided for trimming the edges of the metallic ribbon 11 directly before it is applied to the cable core. One purpose of this construction is to prepare unoxidized surfaces upon the metallic ribbon so that adjacent helices ofthe ribbon may be eifectivelv fused together as they pass the resistor 70. The rotary knives 90 are secured to a shaft 91 rotatably journaled upon the free end of the guide or table 82. A sprocket 93 keyed around the shaft 91 meshes with a sprocket chain 94 which in turn meshes with a sprocket 95 rigidly secured to the shaft 80. To compensate for the increasing speed at which the core is advanced when the sheathed core piles up on the take-up reel 14, means is providedfor swinging the guide or table 82 around the axis of the shaft 83 so as to deliver the metallic ribbon 11 to the core 12 at an angle corresponding to the speed of the core. This means comprises a plurality of grooved rollers 96, 97 and 98 adapted to engage the sheath of core as it leaves the heating unit 66. The grooved rollers 97 and 98 are rotatably journaled upon a plurality of shafts 99 projecting from the frame 69, and the grooved roller 96 is rotatably journaled upon a pin 100 carried on the free end of a lever 101 pivotally mounted on the frame 69 bv a pin 102. A plurality of helical springs 103 urge the grooved roller 96 toward the rollers 97 and 98 and so cause the sheathed core which passesbetween the rollers to drive the rollers 97 and 98. One end of each spring 103 is secured to the pin 100 and the other end thereof is secured to one of the shafts 99. Each of the rollers 97 and 98 has a gear 104 formed integrally therewith and adapted to mesh with a pinion 105 journaled upon a pin 106 projecting from the frame 69. A gear 107 mounted upon the pin 106 and constrained to rotate with the pinion 105 meshes with a pinion, 108, the pinion 108 being rigidly secured on a shaft 109 which is rotatably journaled in the frame 69.

As shown in Fig. 3 the shaft 109 has a disc 110 secured to it on its upper end. A plurality of levers 111 are pivotally secured to the disc 110 by means of a plurality of pins 112, the aXes of the pins 112 being equi-distantly spaced from each other and from the axis of the shaft 109. Each lever 111 is provided with a weight 113 at its outer end and with a grooved pin 114 intermediate its ends. A belt 115 is trained over the pins 114 and over a sheave 116 journaled on a pin 117 projecting from the under surface of the guide or table 82. It will be readily understood that when the disc 110 is rotated, the centrifugal force generated by the weights 113 on the levers 111 tends to bring the levers 111 into radial positions with respect to the axis of the shaft 109 and thus tends to move the grooved pins 114 away from the aXis. Therefore, any increase in speed in the disc 110 will be accompanied by a tightening of the belt 115 which will then swing the guide or table 82 in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1) against the action of a tension spring 118. If there is a decrease in speed in the disc 110, the guide or table 82 will be angularly displaced in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1) by the tension spring 118.

In the operation of the apparatus, the supply reel 13 carrying a supply of cable core 12 is mounted inthe annular member 17 and an empty take-up reel 14 being mounted in the annular member 18. The cable core 12 is then threaded through the guide 65, the heating unit 66 and between the grooved rollers 96, 97 and 98. The forward end of the cable core is then secured to the take-up reel 14 or a short piece of steel cable or the like is utilized to secure the end of the cable core to the take-up reel. The valve 88 is then opened and the metallic ribbon 11 issuing from the spout 75 is applied to the cable core. After the operator has arranged the first few wraps of the metallic ribbon 11 around the cable core and has threaded the wrapped section of the core through the heating unit 66 and the grooved rollers 96, 97 and 98, the apparatus is set in operation. This, of course, includes the act of closing the circuit for the resistor which fuses the convolutions of the metallic ribbon 11 to each other. The

cooling fluid admitted to the annular cham-` ber 73 in the block 68 serves to solidify the fused met-al before it is drawn from the block. Should it be ynecessary at any time to stop the apparatus, it is preferable that a cooling fluid be admitted to the resistor 70 by way of the pipes 72 so that that portion of the metallic ribbon 11 which is in contact with the resistor will not remain in a fused state and so heat an adjacent4 portion of the rib- Iwhen the apparatus is brought to a. full stop.

As the receptacle 10 maybe refilled during the operation of the apparatus whenever it becomes necessary to do so, theetliciency of the apparatus greatly exceeds that of an hydraulic extruding press. The method embodying the invention is continuous with 4respect to any given length of cable core `which may be placed in e apparatus.

What is claimed is: f

1. In apparatus for handling a core, a rotatable carrier, a reel rotatably journaled in the Carrier in approximately tangential relation to the axis of rotation of the carrier, means for rotating the carrier to rotate a core being withdrawn trom or advanced to the reel about its longitudinal axis and a counterweight for the reel.

2. In apparatus for handling a core, a rotatable carrier, a supply reel rotatably journaled in the carrier, a second rotatable carrier, a take-up reel rotatably journaled in the second carrier, and a counterweight for one of said reels.

3. In apparatus for handling a core, a rotatable carrier, a supply reel rotatably journaled 'in the carrier, a second rotatable carrier, a take-up reel rotatably journaled in the second carrier, and an adjustable counter- Weight for one of the reels.-

4. In apparatus for handling a core, a r0- tatable carrier, a supply reel rotatably journaled in the carrier, a second rotatable carrier, a take-up reel rotatably journaled in the second carrier, and adjustable means for counterbalancing said reels.

5. In apparatus for handling a vcore, a` rotatable carrier, means for rotating the carrier, a reel rotatably journaled in the carrier, means for rotating the reel, a counterweight for the reel movably mounted with respect thereto, and means operatively connecting the means for rotating the reel with the counterweight to move'it into a plurality of adj usted positions with respect to the reel when the reel is rotated.

. 6. In apparatus for handling a core, means for supplying material to a core a rotatable carrier, a supply reel rotatably journaled in the carrier, a second rotatable carrier, a

' take-up reel rotatably journaled in the second carrier, means for counterbalancing said reels, means for advancing a core from the supply reel to the take-up reel, and means controlled by the last mentioned meansfor controlling the angle at which material is supplied to the core.

7. In apparatus for handling a core, a rotatable carrier, a supply reel rotatably journaled in the carrier, a second rotatable carrier, a take-up reel rotatably journaled in the second carrier, means for advancing the core from the supply reel to the take-up reel,

means for counterbalancing said reels, means for rotating the core around vits longitudinal axis, means for distributing a strand of material in a plurality of'helices around the core, and means responsive to the speed at which the core. is advanced for regulating the angle at which the strand is supplied to the core.

8. In apparatus for handling a core, a rotatable carrier, a supply reel rotatably journaled in the carrier, a second rotatable carrier, a take-up reel rotatably journaled in the vsecond carrier, adjustable means for balancing said reels, means for advancing the core from the supply to the take-up reel, means for rotating the core around its longitudinal axis, means for supplying a metallic element to the core in such manner that the core Winds the element around itself, and means responsive to the speed at Whlch the core 1s advanced for controlling the angle at which the element is supplied to the core.

9. In apparatus for handling a core, a rotatable carrier, a supply reel rotatably journaled .in the carrier, a second rotatable carrier, a reel rotatably jounaled in the second carrier, adjustable means for counterbalancing said reels, means mounted on one of the carriersfor advancing the core along its longitudinal axis, means for supplying a sheath to the core, and means responsive to the speed at which the core is advanced for controlling the angle at which the sheath is delivered to the core.

10. In apparatus for sheathing a core, a rotatable carrier, a supply reel mounted in the carrier, a second rotatable carrier, a takeup reel rotatably journaled in the second carrier, counterweights for the reels, means for passing the core from the supply reel to the take-up reel, and Ymeans for supplylng material. to the core.

' l1. In apparatus for sheathing a core, a rotatable carrier, a supply reel mounted in the carrier, a second rotatable carrier, a takeup reel rotatably journaled in the second carrier, counterweights for the reels, means for passing the core from the supply reel to the take-up reel, means for supplying a metallic element to the core, and means responsive to thespeed at which the core is passed from the supply reel to the take-up reel for controlling the angle at which the element is sup lied to the core.

12. n apparatus for sheathing a core, rotatable carriers, a supply reel` mounted in one of the carriers, a take-up reel mounted and means responsive to the speed at which 4 the coreis advanced for bringing the knifel into -a plurality of adjusted posltions with" respect to the core.

13. In apparatus for sheathing a core, a rotatable carrier, means for rotating the carrier, a reel rotatably journaled in the carrier, means for rotating the reel, a counterweight for the reel movably mounted With respect thereto, means operatively connecting the means for rotating the reels with the counter- Weight to move the counterweight into a plurality of adjusted positions with respect to the reel when the reel is rotated, a second rotatable carrier, a reel rotatably journaled in said second carrier, means for'advancing a core from the second mentioned reel to the first mentioned reel, means for distributing a strand of material in a plurality of helices around the core, and means responsive to the speed at which the core is advanced for regulating the angle at which the strand is app ied to the core.

14. In apparatus for handling a core, a pair of rotatable carriers, a su ply reel mounted in one of the carriers, a ta e-up reel y mounted in the other carrier, means for rotating the carrlers to rotate the core around its longltudmal axis, means responslve to the rotation of the carriers for advancing the core from the supply to the take-up reel, and means controlled by said rotating means for counterbalancing the carriers.

15. In an apparatus for handling cores, a rotatable carrier, a reel journaled in the carrier, means for rotating the carrier so as to rotate a core drawn from the reel about its longitudinal axis, said reel being mounted in approximately tangential relation to the axis of rotation of said core, and an adjustable counterweight for the reel.

16. In an apparatus for handling cores, a rotatable carrier, a material supporting reel journaled in the carrier in approximately tangential relation to the axis of rotation of the carrier, and a counterweight automatically movable to compensate for variations in the Weight of material supported by the reel.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 11th day of May A D., 1928,

JOI-IN EDSON BOYNTON. 

